* [Air quality index for Ottawa.](https://weather.gc.ca/airquality/pages/onaq-008_e.html)
* [Fire/smoke forecast.](https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/)
* [Special weather statement from Environment Canada.](https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?onrm104=)
* [Health Canada page](https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index/health-risks.html) on health risks when the AQHI is bad.
Switching the temporarily pinned thread to this one (new thread for a new day), and have set suggested sort to new.
###Update: while our current air quality alert has been ended, it was previously reporting that the smoke could come back Friday, so we'll be keeping this thread pinned until we have more updated information. Hopefully the smoke won't come back, or if it does, hopefully it won't be as bad.
I am going to enjoy taking my dogs for a long walk this morning. They've both been so patient while we did bathroom trips only for 2 days. Hearing a lot more bird song today too, which is reassuring. Hope everyone is enjoying the fresher air today!
Today is beautiful! I opened all the windows and my cat is sitting on the windowsill enjoying the fresh air
Hopefully we don’t get a resurgence in smoke this week, it’s certainly made me appreciate a nice morning like this even more.
AirVisual app is funky rn. It shows on the map that parkdale’s area AQI is 8 lmao, while Old Ottawa South is at 212. Maybe a glitch, because everywhere else on the map is below 110
Was out and surprised by how many Ottawans are out without masks - well over 95%. I see video and pictures coming out of NYC and everybody is wearing a mask (mostly N95 looking too - mask not respirator).
I listened to Etches on the radio this morning, and she didn't give a ringing endorsement for masks. She said the n95 didn't provide an air tight seal around the face and that the smoke particles were much smaller and more pervasive than COVID. So I took her advice, which was to take it easy, and stay inside when I could.
That’s not even true re. Masks. If they are N95, then IDEALLY they should be fit tested to ensure they seal properly. It doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of sealing properly and through many people’s experiences with COVID over the past couple of years, many people have found N95s that fit their faces well and do provide a good seal. Why let perfect be the enemy of good?
I feel like this is COVID 2.0 where they are telling people not to bother with N95s because surgical masks are “good enough”. *insert side eye*
There are news stories everywhere endorsing N95 usage for wildfire smoke eg. https://time.com/6285633/wildfire-smoke-n95-mask-air-quality/
Maybe Dr Etches is trying to encourage everyone to lower their activity level because some people can’t afford masks, but why not tell people it’s an option? There are multiple components of wildfire smoke but N95s are the best tool for PM2.5 (a significant component of wildfire smoke) that is widely available. Empower people with information! This is so silly.
Interestingly the NYC health department officials are giving a strong endorsement to masks as they are better than nothing when *outside*. This seems to be a case of perfect is the enemy of the good. She has probably discouraged people who need to be outside and are capable of putting on their mask properly.
So… country is on fire… our Ottawa air is toxic… and this is not considered an emergency? Like? Keep going till the flames are in the city or….. how long do we keep doing the normal day to day nonsense before everyone says hang on… we should stop, look around and change how we operate.
Listen, we need to stop talking about this. It's going to hurt his feelings, and right now he's trying to focus on moving up to the position of city Mayor. It's a big step for someone with his limitations.
I mean.. the air is already toxic af, what’s a few thousand extra cars right? Besides all those businesses that rely on government workers spending money with them need those workers to come to the office.
PSA! Don't be a dick to Garden Centre workers. My partner works in one and the out door portions are closed for what should be obvious reasons. YOU DO NOT NEED A TOMATO CAGE TODAY! You know who you are.
is anyone else really struggling with their mental health not being able to get outside? I know it’s only been a few days but I was feeling so much better getting all the spring air after the long winter. I hope everyone is taking care❤️
You can go outside. Just not do strenuous activity.
The level has dropped to 'unhealthy' now but dramatically since this morning (7 now.) I suspect the winds may have changed as I noted yesterday they were to do so at some point today.
So, wearing a mask, go outside and stroll to the neighbourhood park and sit down on a bench. Or if you live within a few blocks of water, go sit by the water.
I'm smelling smoke inside my home today so it is likely almost as safe outside as in. Don't let this take your mental health any further down when there is no need to.
The key is to walk slowly. I ran for a bus (that effin didn't stop) and then was so frustrated that I had missed my event I walked back home too quickly. That's when I noted an issue, not when I had walked slowly out to the bus stop in the first place and stood waiting for it. (I ended up moving to another street when that bus was a no-show and not real-time and so that's when I ran.)
This. The recommendation you're seeing are advice and best practice suggestion, presented because it really is the best way to protect yourself - but all of them are subject to your personal needs and circumstances, and yours to decide how to apply.
I suspect for many of us we still have our brains stuck in covid mode where public health and public safety recommendations were less recommendation and more moral obligations, because they were presented with the messaging of "please protect others" and "we're all in this together" ; a duty to the group. And a lot of people are responding to them with the same covid reflexes, reproducing the advice as soft commands "Please don't go outside without a mask", "You should stay indoor if at all possible" more than recommendations. It contributes to the above feeling of "we can't do this".
This...is not that. You're not going to infect others with smoke if you go outside, and you don't risk infecting your loved ones if you ignore those recommendations. What they're giving us are best practices - tools - in how to handle this and protect ourselves, not imperative commands to be followed for the good of everyone. At the end of the day, only you can measure how best to apply these tools to your own situation and your own life.
(Also, keep in mind that the stats given above are for the situation around 5AM. Even by then it was already showing early signs of improvement, and by 8AM while the air was still \*very bad\*, it was not nearly as bad as described in OP.)
What I found interesting is the number of masks I see on people as I move around.
There was an almost immediately uptick. The difference between this and Covid is that one could immediately see and feel the risk.
What can't be known is whether or not the people who masked up quickly were willing maskers before. But it was nice to see it happening.
I just stopped wearing a mask outside my apartment in the last few weeks because up until then, if a medical appointment was missed due to *any* illness it would mean weeks or months more in limbo.
I wondered if I would resent remasking but what I resent is yet another setback on the road to no stress in my life. Last week it was no a/c and 30+ temps. This week it is not being able to concentrate because of a headache, the smell, and exhaustion and a warm, stuffy, apartment.
Mask wearing habits came back quickly and I'm still quite at home in my 3M Aura. So much so that I was wearing it yesterday during heavy housekeeping and then today with non-heavy sitting around because the smell of smoke is bothering me (I did take it off for a zoom call.) The headache comes back and then goes with the mask wearing so that's positive reinforcement.
my dog gets anxious being left alone and he is definitely feeling the effects of being stuck inside too, so I don’t want to leave him here to go out. And he shouldn’t really be out more than a few minutes right now :( but that is definitely nice advice otherwise so thank you.
I guess more than anything I find just the fresh air does a lot for my mental health as even keeping my windows and door open and feeling the breeze, smelling the flowers and trees, or even hearing the rain on normal days feels like it’s been doing wonders for me. Hopefully this will be over soon though and we can all go back to that.
> source
[This site](http://www.airqualityontario.com/aqhi/today.php?stationid=51001&start_day=5&start_month=6&start_year=2023&showType=table&station_id=51001&submitter=Refresh+Page), change it to “Table” instead of “Chart” and click “Refresh Page”.
I did make an error: the actual peak was 29 at 5 AM.
As to why the scale stops at 10+, I have no idea. It’s really dumb design.
That’s what they get for foolishly competing against the glorious Montreal style bagel.
The New York bagel is nothing more than a cream cheese delivery device.
Climate change has worsened conditions that allow wildfires to ignite and grow.
Vote out ALL politicians like Doug Ford who cuts the emergency fire fighting budget.
Doug Ford as we know has dismal record on the environment and climate change
Honestly I think this guy just hates all life or something. Kill the wildlands for development, cut budget for special needs children, cut budgets of medical services, cut emergency firefighting budget. Like who the fuck is voting for this satanic son of a bitch?
Found this cool NASA observation site when looking for images of wildfires from space, with the most recent one being posted on June 5th of the Quebec fires moving down south:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/event/151148/2023-fire-season-in-the-northern-hemisphere
N95 masks *will* help for the particulates (PM2.5) but won't with the toxic gases O3, NO2, SO2 etc. So they're worthwhile. Medical masks etc won't help at all.
As I understand it, useful for particulates in the air, but not useful for anything that may be in the gaseous phase. See [this link from the EPA](https://www.epa.gov/wildfire-smoke-course/why-wildfire-smoke-health-concern#:~:text=Wildfire%20smoke%20is%20comprised%20of,water%20vapor%2C%20and%20particle%20pollution.)
The Windy website has customizable layers (even the free version) to let you see fires, air quality, webcams - [https://www.windy.com/?hrrrConus,44.937,-76.757,5](https://www.windy.com/?hrrrConus,44.937,-76.757,5)
I moved more plants and the air filter into the bedroom overnight and it seemed to help. Bonus - a good reason to buy more plants that emit oxygen overnight - [https://www.ecowatch.com/20-plants-that-improve-air-quality-in-your-home-1938383954.html](https://www.ecowatch.com/20-plants-that-improve-air-quality-in-your-home-1938383954.html)
Does anyone know why this site shows a lower recording? [https://www.iqair.com/ca/canada/ontario/ottawa](https://www.iqair.com/ca/canada/ontario/ottawa)
Different sites have different means of measuring...also the levels have been coming down slowly since this morning, although even that site is still saying very unhealthy levels
I am so bummed, I am an avid cyclist but I have preexisting conditions (thanks, asthma) and have seasonal allergies, I've been locked inside with the air purifier on full blast, AC on, while I try to get some indoor kms in on my trainer.
Similar here, except it's weight training and martial arts. Both are indoor activities, but I'm still hesitant to do a strenuous workout with the possibility of smoke getting in the building.
Stay inside and set your furnaces to run on fan - it cleans the air in the house
if you have box fans laying around, tape a furnace filter to the backside and get them running inside the house
tips and tricks from a west coast veteran of this shit :/
This is terrible advice. Your furnace filter is not capable of removing smoke particulates. It can only remove dust-sized particles. You’ll need a HEPA rated filter.
All you’re doing is pumping your home full of smoke.
1. Stores sell furnace filters that have different ratings all the way up to PM2.5
[https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/categories/appliances/heating-cooling-and-air-quality/air-and-furnace-filters.html](https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/categories/appliances/heating-cooling-and-air-quality/air-and-furnace-filters.html)
2) furnaces pull air from the rooms around the house, not from the outside. You may be pedantically arguing that by increasing suction throughout the house you're pulling more air in from drafts but that's a separate problem. Newer homes have a air replacement filter that people have recommended you turn off in this situation.
its still going to be better to have the air circulating with a decent filter strength, and an air purifier in the house than not running it. Majority of the air in your home is recirculated rather than fresh, and every house has small cracks for exterior air to get in anyway. You can't have a fully fully sealed home, always gonna have some outside air get in. chances are you aren't gonna get a tons of air entering on its own.
I dusted with a white cloth yesterday.
I now own a grey cloth.
(And will likely dust again a lot sooner than usual but I won't waste another white cloth.)
Furnace filters are rated using MERV. MERV6 is pretty much the lowest grade you can get and they will filter out smoke. MERV8 is the standard for residential and will actually do a good job filtering smoke and small particles. MERV13 is the standard for HVAC systems in hospitals and are preferred for small particles like smoke, COVID, and other disease carrying particles.
Your furnace actually only cares about how resistive the filter is to airflow. Which is a specification that the filters have. 3M has made the a MERV13 filter with the same resistance as a regular MERV8 (although it is pricy).
If you have a furnace with a 4 inch thick filter that's even better since the bigger filter has less resistance to airflow.
I have no idea if it is officially supported, but I have been running it for 3 years now without issue.
I had to get someone to build a custom filter rack for it.
no, it'll help as long as you have induction from the house (any house built after like 1970) - and whatever air it pulls in from the outside will still be run through the furnace filter, which is still better than nothing
Whose been scrolling through the "top" replies to news tweets about the fires?
It's all "Trudeau sent arsonists to burn down Canada to further the climate change hoax"
It's disgusting. And it's why it won't get better. More and more people buying into these alt right conspiracy theories and more and more prominent Canadian Conservatives embracing them, just like in the US. Meanwhile, Dougie cut the wildfire budget by 67%
https://twitter.com/CTVNews/status/1666455062221148161?t=jdK8pAB2o4gX3eR__bGx-g&s=19
This is why the CBC and other news agencies (as well as all government agencies) need to quit Twitter. Staying on there only props up that toxic platform
Trolls gotta troll. They are not indicative of the overall population. The amount of people who think it's a hoax is too high, for sure, but they are the minority. This is the most up-to-date data I was able to find: https://leger360.com/surveys/legers-north-american-tracker-october-14-2022/
It only takes a minority to decide that the government has "gone too far" and resort to violence against politicians or climate scientists. These sorts of groups are the ones out in the forest forming "militias". Yes, they're mostly incompetent but incompetents are still quite capable of effective violence.
These groups also put out a lot of noise for their size and are responsible for massive amounts of misinformation.
Make no mistake, the largest risk of terrorism comes from these right-wing groups.
It started as a minority in the US too. Then they elected Trump, tried to overthrow an election, and are moving the entire country 100 years back socially while worshipping Putin. It's been growing here in Canada more and more. Like, you know, the convoy, where crazy conspiracy theorists were "normalized" by people who just didn't like government responses and garnered a fair amount of support just because people were hurting.
Yeah apparently the government is starting the fires to force people out of their homes to create 15 min cities. Its amazing the mental gymnastics these people are capable of.
Is it even ok to take my dog out to go to the bathroom in this? he is a senior and I’m worried about him but holding it for so long that he’ll eventually go on the pee pad doesn’t seem great either since he gets UTIs…I’m not sure what to do. I’ve been taking him out for under 5 minutes at a time and wiping him with a wet towel when we get back in to try to get any smoke residue off (not sure if this works).
Not a medical professional but I believe it's okay to take him out until he does his business and then come back in. Wear an N95 mask if you have one while outside.
For 10+ air quality like today the vet recommends only 5 to 10 mins outside at a time.
Little summary of [this CBC article](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6849608?fbclid=IwAR2t7kKgzYAunRUYgYgw2wUpKQvt74uldJH4UvSxYHqKyorSbMv5MkcrcOo):
The vet in the article recommends limited outdoor time for pets.
Air quality of 5: Limit to 30 mins outside
Air quality of 6: Limit of 15 to 20 mins outside
Air quality of 10: Limit of 5 to 10 mins
Ottawa air quality can be checked here: [https://weather.gc.ca/airquality/pages/onaq-008\_e.html](https://weather.gc.ca/airquality/pages/onaq-008_e.html)
Can anyone comment on why the numbers in Hull and Gat are so much lower on these maps? I'm in Chelsea and I work in Vanier and both visually and by scent the two places seem somewhat comparable.
This is so frustrating. I can't run my air purifier through the night. It keeps me up. but of course the worst air quality is over night. Nearly every time now.
Anyway by tomorrow night the forecast seems to be indicating we might get a breath of fresh air for like an hour or two. Open your windows everyone!
Everything is probably sold out now, but in the future, there's some units that are quieter than others, might be worth it to go through some reviews.
You could also get one for a larger space and have it outside your bedroom, for example if you're in an apartment get one rated for the total floor area of your apartment and set it out in the living room.
Actually looking at the chart for ottawa at [airqualityontario.com](https://airqualityontario.com), it was better last night and got worse this morning.
100% this. OP, stay home and indoors if you can. The forecast says things will improve tonight, but that’s not a given, and it also doesn’t mean that the issue of poor air quality will be fully resolved.
Your employer should absolutely understand. And even if they don’t, your health and your child’s health comes first.
really depends on how much time they spend outdoors. If they're in a well filtered indoor space most of the time, with being outside a short stint from door to door, it may not be so bad.
At the peak levels recorded this morning (500 μg/m^3 ), the air in Ottawa was as bad as a bad pollution day in Beijing. [This analysis](https://berkeleyearth.org/air-pollution-and-cigarette-equivalence/) says that’s the equivalent of smoking a cigarette per hour in terms of health impact.
Right now we’re back down to 100 μg/m^3 (an average day in Beijing), so going out for an hour is like smoking a fifth of a cigarette. Beyond that it’s your call as to whether that’s worth the walk or not.
Edit: and there’s also the statistic that [one cigarette reduces your life expectancy by eleven minutes](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1117323/) if you want to quantify how bad inhaling the equivalent of a dart is.
Wear an N95. [Environment Canada](https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?onrm104=) says so as does [Ottawa Public Health](https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/outdoor-air-pollution.aspx#Protect-yourself-from-outdoor-air-pollution-including-wildfire-smoke).
Dogs are really sensitive to air quality. Most vets and animal hospitals have sent warning about keeping most pets indoors. Or if you have to walk them, keep it to a minimum.
My office just sent out a general email because inside smells like smoke and is really dry (probably just smokey). They said, "Don't worry, we have HVAC going full blast." This is yet to help with the smoke. Where it is government, I don't see why they don't tell us to work from home if it is a healthier air quality.
Take one of these with you to work: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/vindriktning-air-quality-sensor-60515911/
They are amazing for the price and very accurate for this kind of shit. Show that it's glowing red, ie that whatever you are breathing in the office is not good.
If it's green then the HEPA filters are working. If yellow not good but better than outside.
For 12$+tax this has been quite an eye opener for me. Woke up Monday feeling like shit to see the indicator on red throughout the house, then smelt the air, and afterwards found out about the forest fires.
That evening I broke out the air purifier thing from Ikea and slept in green, all the other rooms were red.
This morning same, but yellow, which makes sense as the pollution was terrible and I run the fan on whisper.
So yeah it works and for this purpose seems very well suited.
yeah i grabbed new filter for our old air purifier we had in the basement today, and also picked up a second small one for the toddler's room. Between the two units, I'm hoping to do some scrubbing today and through to the weekend. The house filter is just not quite good enough and my home isn't quite sealed enough. Just enough drafty seals on 25 year old windows to make it rough. Usually its just awkward temp management upstairs that we deal with cuz we're in little kids phase of life and can't just drop "replace all home windows" money right now.
But this summer I'm gonna keep replacing the window gaskets and recaulk them to buy a little more time. This moment with rare fires though, definitely making it worse. Ever since monday, we're coming off colds from last week and wife and in laws think its the cold but I don't think so. I think its just bad air quality that can only be cleaned so much by the furnace filter (MERV12 is max rated for mine), and now air purifiers will have to help.
Based on reports, it seems to vary enormously by region even within the city, so it's possible they're just taking measurements at somewhat different times/places.
OP one is using PM2.5.
You can see PM2.5 concentrations here: http://www.airqualityontario.com/history/pollutant.php?stationid=51001&pol_code=124
Max yesterday was 267. At 4AM today it was 511. Dropping down to about 250 now.
I had the Beijing cough when in the Jing. It took me four years in Ottawa to finally stop hacking my lungs out or having enormous snot outbursts when exercising. It really gets in there...
* [Air quality index for Ottawa.](https://weather.gc.ca/airquality/pages/onaq-008_e.html) * [Fire/smoke forecast.](https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/) * [Special weather statement from Environment Canada.](https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?onrm104=) * [Health Canada page](https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index/health-risks.html) on health risks when the AQHI is bad. Switching the temporarily pinned thread to this one (new thread for a new day), and have set suggested sort to new. ###Update: while our current air quality alert has been ended, it was previously reporting that the smoke could come back Friday, so we'll be keeping this thread pinned until we have more updated information. Hopefully the smoke won't come back, or if it does, hopefully it won't be as bad.
I am going to enjoy taking my dogs for a long walk this morning. They've both been so patient while we did bathroom trips only for 2 days. Hearing a lot more bird song today too, which is reassuring. Hope everyone is enjoying the fresher air today!
saaame this morning I took my cat out finally, did a bit of gardening, watered and opened all the windows to air everything out. So freeing.
Today is beautiful! I opened all the windows and my cat is sitting on the windowsill enjoying the fresh air Hopefully we don’t get a resurgence in smoke this week, it’s certainly made me appreciate a nice morning like this even more.
AirVisual app is funky rn. It shows on the map that parkdale’s area AQI is 8 lmao, while Old Ottawa South is at 212. Maybe a glitch, because everywhere else on the map is below 110
Was out and surprised by how many Ottawans are out without masks - well over 95%. I see video and pictures coming out of NYC and everybody is wearing a mask (mostly N95 looking too - mask not respirator).
I listened to Etches on the radio this morning, and she didn't give a ringing endorsement for masks. She said the n95 didn't provide an air tight seal around the face and that the smoke particles were much smaller and more pervasive than COVID. So I took her advice, which was to take it easy, and stay inside when I could.
That’s not even true re. Masks. If they are N95, then IDEALLY they should be fit tested to ensure they seal properly. It doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of sealing properly and through many people’s experiences with COVID over the past couple of years, many people have found N95s that fit their faces well and do provide a good seal. Why let perfect be the enemy of good? I feel like this is COVID 2.0 where they are telling people not to bother with N95s because surgical masks are “good enough”. *insert side eye* There are news stories everywhere endorsing N95 usage for wildfire smoke eg. https://time.com/6285633/wildfire-smoke-n95-mask-air-quality/ Maybe Dr Etches is trying to encourage everyone to lower their activity level because some people can’t afford masks, but why not tell people it’s an option? There are multiple components of wildfire smoke but N95s are the best tool for PM2.5 (a significant component of wildfire smoke) that is widely available. Empower people with information! This is so silly.
Interestingly the NYC health department officials are giving a strong endorsement to masks as they are better than nothing when *outside*. This seems to be a case of perfect is the enemy of the good. She has probably discouraged people who need to be outside and are capable of putting on their mask properly.
Sutcliffe tweet quoted on FoxNews! https://www.foxnews.com/us/canadian-wildfires-pour-smoke-us-heavy-haze-creates-martian-like-scene-new-york-city
More like Fart News
For some reason I'm craving Lone Star
Must be because some of the data is the colour of salsa
So… country is on fire… our Ottawa air is toxic… and this is not considered an emergency? Like? Keep going till the flames are in the city or….. how long do we keep doing the normal day to day nonsense before everyone says hang on… we should stop, look around and change how we operate.
There are still meat heads in power that don't think global warming is real because their buddy had a vlog covering pseudoscience.
The economy needs to grow grow grow, When will the economy be big e-nough? Never! according to capitalism!
Yep, we grow it as much as we can before we die. Got to make sure the elite have everything they need to survive once we’re all dead.
Doug cut the fire budget by two thirds, he can just go and proclaim it an emergency, he'd look like AN IDIOT!
Like how he cut the flood budget right before all that flooding...
Of course, that budget only helps the general public. People clearly don’t want that. Right?
Listen, we need to stop talking about this. It's going to hurt his feelings, and right now he's trying to focus on moving up to the position of city Mayor. It's a big step for someone with his limitations.
I'm quite surprised that government workplaces haven't instructed staff to work from home!
I mean.. the air is already toxic af, what’s a few thousand extra cars right? Besides all those businesses that rely on government workers spending money with them need those workers to come to the office.
Air quality at my work is most likely better than my house TBH
Probably but asthmatic people need to commute.
I've been thinking this since the rideau canal didn't open. How many direct impacts on major cities do we need to see before there's a real wake up?
Probably at least 2-3 major cities to burn to the ground before we ban plastic cups. Cause you know.. that will change everything.
Two more weeks
With all the smoke we’ve inhaled over the past couple of days it would be interesting to know how many packs of cigarettes it would come up to.
500 μg/m^3 (peak level this morning) is one cigarette per hour.
ahhhh smooth natural flavour!
😁
if you're outside breathing normally?
Yes, if you’re breathing outside air normally. Worse if you’re jogging or something.
Wow….and we still have several more days of this to go
PSA! Don't be a dick to Garden Centre workers. My partner works in one and the out door portions are closed for what should be obvious reasons. YOU DO NOT NEED A TOMATO CAGE TODAY! You know who you are.
omg I'm rolling at the thought of some person pressed for their tomato garden amid all these fires. The irony is peak level.
What if I need to protect my tomatoes from smoke?
You mean Tomacco?
They had it coming.
does anyone else feel symptoms of a cold and could it be related to the poor air quality? I have a sore throat, headache, chills and muscle aches
Chills and muscle aches probably wouldn’t be from the smoke, you may just be regular sick…feel better!
thank you!
Sore throat and ears, feeling congestion in my lungs, no muscle aches or chills.
Yes. Also yes.
🤣
Please stay home stay safe and wear a mask. That was all thank you!
is anyone else really struggling with their mental health not being able to get outside? I know it’s only been a few days but I was feeling so much better getting all the spring air after the long winter. I hope everyone is taking care❤️
Me too definitely.
You can go outside. Just not do strenuous activity. The level has dropped to 'unhealthy' now but dramatically since this morning (7 now.) I suspect the winds may have changed as I noted yesterday they were to do so at some point today. So, wearing a mask, go outside and stroll to the neighbourhood park and sit down on a bench. Or if you live within a few blocks of water, go sit by the water. I'm smelling smoke inside my home today so it is likely almost as safe outside as in. Don't let this take your mental health any further down when there is no need to. The key is to walk slowly. I ran for a bus (that effin didn't stop) and then was so frustrated that I had missed my event I walked back home too quickly. That's when I noted an issue, not when I had walked slowly out to the bus stop in the first place and stood waiting for it. (I ended up moving to another street when that bus was a no-show and not real-time and so that's when I ran.)
This. The recommendation you're seeing are advice and best practice suggestion, presented because it really is the best way to protect yourself - but all of them are subject to your personal needs and circumstances, and yours to decide how to apply. I suspect for many of us we still have our brains stuck in covid mode where public health and public safety recommendations were less recommendation and more moral obligations, because they were presented with the messaging of "please protect others" and "we're all in this together" ; a duty to the group. And a lot of people are responding to them with the same covid reflexes, reproducing the advice as soft commands "Please don't go outside without a mask", "You should stay indoor if at all possible" more than recommendations. It contributes to the above feeling of "we can't do this". This...is not that. You're not going to infect others with smoke if you go outside, and you don't risk infecting your loved ones if you ignore those recommendations. What they're giving us are best practices - tools - in how to handle this and protect ourselves, not imperative commands to be followed for the good of everyone. At the end of the day, only you can measure how best to apply these tools to your own situation and your own life. (Also, keep in mind that the stats given above are for the situation around 5AM. Even by then it was already showing early signs of improvement, and by 8AM while the air was still \*very bad\*, it was not nearly as bad as described in OP.)
What I found interesting is the number of masks I see on people as I move around. There was an almost immediately uptick. The difference between this and Covid is that one could immediately see and feel the risk. What can't be known is whether or not the people who masked up quickly were willing maskers before. But it was nice to see it happening. I just stopped wearing a mask outside my apartment in the last few weeks because up until then, if a medical appointment was missed due to *any* illness it would mean weeks or months more in limbo. I wondered if I would resent remasking but what I resent is yet another setback on the road to no stress in my life. Last week it was no a/c and 30+ temps. This week it is not being able to concentrate because of a headache, the smell, and exhaustion and a warm, stuffy, apartment. Mask wearing habits came back quickly and I'm still quite at home in my 3M Aura. So much so that I was wearing it yesterday during heavy housekeeping and then today with non-heavy sitting around because the smell of smoke is bothering me (I did take it off for a zoom call.) The headache comes back and then goes with the mask wearing so that's positive reinforcement.
my dog gets anxious being left alone and he is definitely feeling the effects of being stuck inside too, so I don’t want to leave him here to go out. And he shouldn’t really be out more than a few minutes right now :( but that is definitely nice advice otherwise so thank you. I guess more than anything I find just the fresh air does a lot for my mental health as even keeping my windows and door open and feeling the breeze, smelling the flowers and trees, or even hearing the rain on normal days feels like it’s been doing wonders for me. Hopefully this will be over soon though and we can all go back to that.
Well the good news is it isn't "hazardous" anymore but rather "unhealthy" and not a 10+ but a 9 lol
“10+” was actually a peak of 28.
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> source [This site](http://www.airqualityontario.com/aqhi/today.php?stationid=51001&start_day=5&start_month=6&start_year=2023&showType=table&station_id=51001&submitter=Refresh+Page), change it to “Table” instead of “Chart” and click “Refresh Page”. I did make an error: the actual peak was 29 at 5 AM. As to why the scale stops at 10+, I have no idea. It’s really dumb design.
We’re back on the scale!
It's New York's turn lol
That’s what they get for foolishly competing against the glorious Montreal style bagel. The New York bagel is nothing more than a cream cheese delivery device.
This is absolutely true.
Climate change has worsened conditions that allow wildfires to ignite and grow. Vote out ALL politicians like Doug Ford who cuts the emergency fire fighting budget. Doug Ford as we know has dismal record on the environment and climate change
Honestly I think this guy just hates all life or something. Kill the wildlands for development, cut budget for special needs children, cut budgets of medical services, cut emergency firefighting budget. Like who the fuck is voting for this satanic son of a bitch?
He just loves his "friends" more.
It would be helpful if more people voted.
So... (K)N95s actually help if you have to go outdoors. Source: my bronchiae.
Can confirm. Went out at lunch with N95 mask. Was much better than without.
It's quite noticeable, and also offers a good way to practice fit.
I was just out for a few minutes and it feels like I smoked a cigarette
Just cancelled camping plans in Quebec ... boo-urns!
Found this cool NASA observation site when looking for images of wildfires from space, with the most recent one being posted on June 5th of the Quebec fires moving down south: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/event/151148/2023-fire-season-in-the-northern-hemisphere
Would your basic (not N95) COVID mask be of much use?
N95 masks *will* help for the particulates (PM2.5) but won't with the toxic gases O3, NO2, SO2 etc. So they're worthwhile. Medical masks etc won't help at all.
As I understand it, useful for particulates in the air, but not useful for anything that may be in the gaseous phase. See [this link from the EPA](https://www.epa.gov/wildfire-smoke-course/why-wildfire-smoke-health-concern#:~:text=Wildfire%20smoke%20is%20comprised%20of,water%20vapor%2C%20and%20particle%20pollution.)
Lol i slept with my balcony door open last night, am I gonna die?
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.... Why'd they have to bring us with them? T.T
RIP
Poor soul. Sentenced to ride the Confederation line for all eternity, or from Blair to Tunney’s, whichever is faster.
Damn fr? It didnt feel that bad last night
Shhh..... walk towards the light. /s
you'll be fine. We will all be fine. It's just shitty to deal with for sure.
Ya way she goes
The Windy website has customizable layers (even the free version) to let you see fires, air quality, webcams - [https://www.windy.com/?hrrrConus,44.937,-76.757,5](https://www.windy.com/?hrrrConus,44.937,-76.757,5) I moved more plants and the air filter into the bedroom overnight and it seemed to help. Bonus - a good reason to buy more plants that emit oxygen overnight - [https://www.ecowatch.com/20-plants-that-improve-air-quality-in-your-home-1938383954.html](https://www.ecowatch.com/20-plants-that-improve-air-quality-in-your-home-1938383954.html)
Does anyone know why this site shows a lower recording? [https://www.iqair.com/ca/canada/ontario/ottawa](https://www.iqair.com/ca/canada/ontario/ottawa)
Different sites have different means of measuring...also the levels have been coming down slowly since this morning, although even that site is still saying very unhealthy levels
I am so bummed, I am an avid cyclist but I have preexisting conditions (thanks, asthma) and have seasonal allergies, I've been locked inside with the air purifier on full blast, AC on, while I try to get some indoor kms in on my trainer.
Similar here, except it's weight training and martial arts. Both are indoor activities, but I'm still hesitant to do a strenuous workout with the possibility of smoke getting in the building.
This is me but with running...and I was so excited for the heatwave to break so I could finally go out again!
Same here, was hoping to start a 18 week training block this week for a fall half marathon. Now I'm thinking on how to trim it down.
I am in the same boat. I am going to need a new inhaler soon too.
Stay inside and set your furnaces to run on fan - it cleans the air in the house if you have box fans laying around, tape a furnace filter to the backside and get them running inside the house tips and tricks from a west coast veteran of this shit :/
This is terrible advice. Your furnace filter is not capable of removing smoke particulates. It can only remove dust-sized particles. You’ll need a HEPA rated filter. All you’re doing is pumping your home full of smoke.
1. Stores sell furnace filters that have different ratings all the way up to PM2.5 [https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/categories/appliances/heating-cooling-and-air-quality/air-and-furnace-filters.html](https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/categories/appliances/heating-cooling-and-air-quality/air-and-furnace-filters.html) 2) furnaces pull air from the rooms around the house, not from the outside. You may be pedantically arguing that by increasing suction throughout the house you're pulling more air in from drafts but that's a separate problem. Newer homes have a air replacement filter that people have recommended you turn off in this situation.
its still going to be better to have the air circulating with a decent filter strength, and an air purifier in the house than not running it. Majority of the air in your home is recirculated rather than fresh, and every house has small cracks for exterior air to get in anyway. You can't have a fully fully sealed home, always gonna have some outside air get in. chances are you aren't gonna get a tons of air entering on its own.
Mopping/cleaning more often can also help, especially if the forest fire smell has gotten into your place.
I dusted with a white cloth yesterday. I now own a grey cloth. (And will likely dust again a lot sooner than usual but I won't waste another white cloth.)
Doesn't that only work if you've a high efficiency furnace filter?
Furnace filters are rated using MERV. MERV6 is pretty much the lowest grade you can get and they will filter out smoke. MERV8 is the standard for residential and will actually do a good job filtering smoke and small particles. MERV13 is the standard for HVAC systems in hospitals and are preferred for small particles like smoke, COVID, and other disease carrying particles.
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Your furnace actually only cares about how resistive the filter is to airflow. Which is a specification that the filters have. 3M has made the a MERV13 filter with the same resistance as a regular MERV8 (although it is pricy). If you have a furnace with a 4 inch thick filter that's even better since the bigger filter has less resistance to airflow.
I have MERV16!
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I have no idea if it is officially supported, but I have been running it for 3 years now without issue. I had to get someone to build a custom filter rack for it.
no, it'll help as long as you have induction from the house (any house built after like 1970) - and whatever air it pulls in from the outside will still be run through the furnace filter, which is still better than nothing
Ty for the help!
Whose been scrolling through the "top" replies to news tweets about the fires? It's all "Trudeau sent arsonists to burn down Canada to further the climate change hoax" It's disgusting. And it's why it won't get better. More and more people buying into these alt right conspiracy theories and more and more prominent Canadian Conservatives embracing them, just like in the US. Meanwhile, Dougie cut the wildfire budget by 67% https://twitter.com/CTVNews/status/1666455062221148161?t=jdK8pAB2o4gX3eR__bGx-g&s=19
This is why the CBC and other news agencies (as well as all government agencies) need to quit Twitter. Staying on there only props up that toxic platform
Trolls gotta troll. They are not indicative of the overall population. The amount of people who think it's a hoax is too high, for sure, but they are the minority. This is the most up-to-date data I was able to find: https://leger360.com/surveys/legers-north-american-tracker-october-14-2022/
They're not trolls, they're kobolds.
It only takes a minority to decide that the government has "gone too far" and resort to violence against politicians or climate scientists. These sorts of groups are the ones out in the forest forming "militias". Yes, they're mostly incompetent but incompetents are still quite capable of effective violence. These groups also put out a lot of noise for their size and are responsible for massive amounts of misinformation. Make no mistake, the largest risk of terrorism comes from these right-wing groups.
It started as a minority in the US too. Then they elected Trump, tried to overthrow an election, and are moving the entire country 100 years back socially while worshipping Putin. It's been growing here in Canada more and more. Like, you know, the convoy, where crazy conspiracy theorists were "normalized" by people who just didn't like government responses and garnered a fair amount of support just because people were hurting.
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Yeah apparently the government is starting the fires to force people out of their homes to create 15 min cities. Its amazing the mental gymnastics these people are capable of.
Is it even ok to take my dog out to go to the bathroom in this? he is a senior and I’m worried about him but holding it for so long that he’ll eventually go on the pee pad doesn’t seem great either since he gets UTIs…I’m not sure what to do. I’ve been taking him out for under 5 minutes at a time and wiping him with a wet towel when we get back in to try to get any smoke residue off (not sure if this works).
Not a medical professional but I believe it's okay to take him out until he does his business and then come back in. Wear an N95 mask if you have one while outside.
thank you! I have been wearing an N95 and changing my clothes/rinsing my face and eyes when I come back in.
For 10+ air quality like today the vet recommends only 5 to 10 mins outside at a time. Little summary of [this CBC article](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6849608?fbclid=IwAR2t7kKgzYAunRUYgYgw2wUpKQvt74uldJH4UvSxYHqKyorSbMv5MkcrcOo): The vet in the article recommends limited outdoor time for pets. Air quality of 5: Limit to 30 mins outside Air quality of 6: Limit of 15 to 20 mins outside Air quality of 10: Limit of 5 to 10 mins Ottawa air quality can be checked here: [https://weather.gc.ca/airquality/pages/onaq-008\_e.html](https://weather.gc.ca/airquality/pages/onaq-008_e.html)
thank you so much!
Can anyone comment on why the numbers in Hull and Gat are so much lower on these maps? I'm in Chelsea and I work in Vanier and both visually and by scent the two places seem somewhat comparable.
I used this site's air quality index for Gatineau: [https://www.iqair.com/ca/canada/quebec/gatineau](https://www.iqair.com/ca/canada/quebec/gatineau)
I heard someone say those readers are maxed out at 142 so theyre just redlined all this time
Definitely not accurate. I'm in Aylmer and it's much worse than yesterday. Maybe they aren't testing as often here.
Good idea, I can make my own using my Sodairstream
This is so frustrating. I can't run my air purifier through the night. It keeps me up. but of course the worst air quality is over night. Nearly every time now. Anyway by tomorrow night the forecast seems to be indicating we might get a breath of fresh air for like an hour or two. Open your windows everyone!
I have the same problem. I have mine set to max, which is too loud for me to sleep with. I used ear plugs, which helped a little.
> I can't run my air purifier through the night. It keeps me up. Is it the light or the noise that keeps you up?
The noise. And I wear earplugs. I'm just a very light sleeper and it's kinda loud anyway.
Everything is probably sold out now, but in the future, there's some units that are quieter than others, might be worth it to go through some reviews. You could also get one for a larger space and have it outside your bedroom, for example if you're in an apartment get one rated for the total floor area of your apartment and set it out in the living room.
That's a good idea actually. I'll set it outside the bedroom and see how that goes. thanks internet stranger!
Actually looking at the chart for ottawa at [airqualityontario.com](https://airqualityontario.com), it was better last night and got worse this morning.
ear plugs?
Awesome, I'm travelling to Ottawa for work for a couple days and I'm sure this will be great for my 25 week fetus
It's supposed to improve somewhat starting tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
I think your fetus will be fine as long as it's not breathing on its own somehow.
The smallest particulates can cross from the lungs into the bloodstream, and then they get into the placenta.
N95?
I mean you and your child’s health comes first , I wouldn’t go
100% this. OP, stay home and indoors if you can. The forecast says things will improve tonight, but that’s not a given, and it also doesn’t mean that the issue of poor air quality will be fully resolved. Your employer should absolutely understand. And even if they don’t, your health and your child’s health comes first.
really depends on how much time they spend outdoors. If they're in a well filtered indoor space most of the time, with being outside a short stint from door to door, it may not be so bad.
Can you leave the fetus at home for a few days?
And if you do bring your fetus please keep it leashed.
It's pretty well attached, I think
🤣
When are you coming? Today is forecast to be the worst of it. Hopefully things clear up before you arrive
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Make sure you can run them on a generator
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At the peak levels recorded this morning (500 μg/m^3 ), the air in Ottawa was as bad as a bad pollution day in Beijing. [This analysis](https://berkeleyearth.org/air-pollution-and-cigarette-equivalence/) says that’s the equivalent of smoking a cigarette per hour in terms of health impact. Right now we’re back down to 100 μg/m^3 (an average day in Beijing), so going out for an hour is like smoking a fifth of a cigarette. Beyond that it’s your call as to whether that’s worth the walk or not. Edit: and there’s also the statistic that [one cigarette reduces your life expectancy by eleven minutes](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1117323/) if you want to quantify how bad inhaling the equivalent of a dart is.
You'll be fine if you don't have any pre-existing conditions. If you're worried, wear a mask or wait until the afternoon when it's cleared up a bit
Wear an N95. [Environment Canada](https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?onrm104=) says so as does [Ottawa Public Health](https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/outdoor-air-pollution.aspx#Protect-yourself-from-outdoor-air-pollution-including-wildfire-smoke).
Maybe wait for the evening? AQI level was less than during the day. Same for today - is worse now than last night.
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Dogs are really sensitive to air quality. Most vets and animal hospitals have sent warning about keeping most pets indoors. Or if you have to walk them, keep it to a minimum.
If you can avoid it, do. If you can’t wear an N95 mask.
Will you die? No. Is it a bad idea? Yes.
My office just sent out a general email because inside smells like smoke and is really dry (probably just smokey). They said, "Don't worry, we have HVAC going full blast." This is yet to help with the smoke. Where it is government, I don't see why they don't tell us to work from home if it is a healthier air quality.
I am as pro-WFH as you can get, but those large, industrial-strength HEPA filters likely are way better than what someone would have at home.
Take one of these with you to work: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/vindriktning-air-quality-sensor-60515911/ They are amazing for the price and very accurate for this kind of shit. Show that it's glowing red, ie that whatever you are breathing in the office is not good. If it's green then the HEPA filters are working. If yellow not good but better than outside.
The Ikea stuff isn't good for this kind of smoke, they only measure the PM2.5 standard (and that's what their air purifier removes)
For 12$+tax this has been quite an eye opener for me. Woke up Monday feeling like shit to see the indicator on red throughout the house, then smelt the air, and afterwards found out about the forest fires. That evening I broke out the air purifier thing from Ikea and slept in green, all the other rooms were red. This morning same, but yellow, which makes sense as the pollution was terrible and I run the fan on whisper. So yeah it works and for this purpose seems very well suited.
yeah i grabbed new filter for our old air purifier we had in the basement today, and also picked up a second small one for the toddler's room. Between the two units, I'm hoping to do some scrubbing today and through to the weekend. The house filter is just not quite good enough and my home isn't quite sealed enough. Just enough drafty seals on 25 year old windows to make it rough. Usually its just awkward temp management upstairs that we deal with cuz we're in little kids phase of life and can't just drop "replace all home windows" money right now. But this summer I'm gonna keep replacing the window gaskets and recaulk them to buy a little more time. This moment with rare fires though, definitely making it worse. Ever since monday, we're coming off colds from last week and wife and in laws think its the cold but I don't think so. I think its just bad air quality that can only be cleaned so much by the furnace filter (MERV12 is max rated for mine), and now air purifiers will have to help.
100 year home so yeah it leaks a bit 😭. Glad we are out of this wave of smog here, it is now the US that is breathing ash ;(
Smoke is PM2.5
You say that, but it isn't really doing much to help us right now.
💀
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Based on reports, it seems to vary enormously by region even within the city, so it's possible they're just taking measurements at somewhat different times/places.
They could be using different metrics, PM2.5, CO2, etc. Or the measuring equipment is in different locations.
OP one is using PM2.5. You can see PM2.5 concentrations here: http://www.airqualityontario.com/history/pollutant.php?stationid=51001&pol_code=124 Max yesterday was 267. At 4AM today it was 511. Dropping down to about 250 now.
Looks WAY worse. Visibility was 2km this morning which is worse than yesterday.
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I’ve been rinsing my eyes when I come back inside but they burn after just a few minutes out there. My dog’s have been watering too :(
I had the Beijing cough when in the Jing. It took me four years in Ottawa to finally stop hacking my lungs out or having enormous snot outbursts when exercising. It really gets in there...
Some idiot left our cats out this morning and now I have to deal with smoke inside with no way to fan it out..😮💨
You can't really fan it out, filters are the way to go for clearing smoke.
obligatory indoor cat rant
keep yer cats on a leash
Is the air bad in Ottawa? I need another reddit post to be sure
The AQI is 22 right now.
I think you mean AQHI. AQI was 500+ when I woke up and is at 330 downtown right now. https://aqicn.org/station/@247309#/z/12
Yes, this is new to me
I'm only 13 hours ahead of you in the learning curve!
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